Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

dzug1

What you've found is a superoffpeak day return - valid on any train on a Sunday and you don't need to book.

Given that the normal peak single fare in the week is £56 you are doing quite well. The cheapest advance single I can find for that Sunday is £26 so that's no use to you - booking earlier might (or might not) have helped. The theoretical cheapest fare is £9.55 single.

amjad.khan

QUOTE=dzug1;25307819]What you've found is a superoffpeak day return - valid on any train on a Sunday and you don't need to book.

Given that the normal peak single fare in the week is £56 you are doing quite well. The cheapest advance single I can find for that Sunday is £26 so that's no use to you - booking earlier might (or might not) have helped. The theoretical cheapest fare is £9.55 single.[/QUOTE]

Thanks dude your da man cheers for your help :money:

lingojingo

Can anyone help me find a cheaper fare from either Huddersfield or Honley to Swindon and back over Christmas?

I want to go down on 21/22/23 Dec and return 29/30 Dec

In previous years I've done it fairly cheaply by breaking the journey into lots of stages and having multiple tickets, but I can't seem to beat the 'anytime off peak return' fare of £75.50 (last year was considerably less and included DD too, she had a young persons railcard)

Any help very much appreciated

Edited to say just realised advance tickets may not be available yet, I'm too organised!

dzug1

lingojingo wrote: »

Edited to say just realised advance tickets may not be available yet, I'm too organised!

Yep - the furthest ahead advance tickets are available is 12 December - and not for all train companies

Bogof_Babe

I've been waiting for a cheapie for my usual Southport-Hereford journey for the weekend of 12/13 Dec, checking National Express every day. Noticed today that they are now taking bookings up to 20th Dec, and still no Advances for that previous weekend, just flat rate £42 tickets.

So I just checked the Arriva site on the offchance, and got a choice of a couple of £11 ones for Sat 12th. Not sure if NatExp are just very behind with loading the Advance tickets, or if they aren't offering any for that weekend. Or maybe Arriva forgot to let NatExp know!

Anyway I'm sorted now (no booking fees through Arriva so just the £11 same as NatExp bookings).

Moral of the story - if you can't find what you want, try the train operator's own site.

emmaljonesbz

Can anyone who has done the Chester to Glasgow trip give me any advice as to wheres best to split my ticket? I'm not travelling until feb 18th 2010, returning feb 20th, so know there will probably be cheaper tickets available 12 weeks in advance. Just incase I miss out on these, is it best to split my tickets at warrington bank quay or crewe where I have to change trains, or another station(s) on route?

Livingthedream

emmaljonesbz wrote: »

Can anyone who has done the Chester to Glasgow trip give me any advice as to wheres best to split my ticket? I'm not travelling until feb 18th 2010, returning feb 20th, so know there will probably be cheaper tickets available 12 weeks in advance. Just incase I miss out on these, is it best to split my tickets at warrington bank quay or crewe where I have to change trains, or another station(s) on route?

Yes, warrington bank quay or crewe can be used for splits ticketing, also a good split for Chester to Glasgow is Manchester Pic, can take a bit longer but Transpennie have some good advance deals on trains direct from Manchester to Glasgow that don't sell out as quick as the Virgin west coast advance tickets

discodancing

Received this email from ScotRail yesterday; apologies if it has already been posted.

Shop at Sainsbury's stores in Scotland between 30th September and 20th October and you'll be able to travel anywhere in Scotland for only £15 return. To get your Scotland by Rail voucher, just spend as little or as much as you like in any Scottish Sainsbury's store. One child can go FREE.
Great news. This special offer also means one child can hop onboard for nothing. All you have to do is ask for a ticket that includes a free child place.
So what are you waiting for? Just visit Sainsbury's between 30th September and 20th October to pick up your £15 voucher.

dzug1

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I've been waiting for a cheapie for my usual Southport-Hereford journey for the weekend of 12/13 Dec, checking National Express every day. Noticed today that they are now taking bookings up to 20th Dec, and still no Advances for that previous weekend, just flat rate £42 tickets.

So I just checked the Arriva site on the offchance, and got a choice of a couple of £11 ones for Sat 12th. Not sure if NatExp are just very behind with loading the Advance tickets, or if they aren't offering any for that weekend. Or maybe Arriva forgot to let NatExp know!

Anyway I'm sorted now (no booking fees through Arriva so just the £11 same as NatExp bookings).

Moral of the story - if you can't find what you want, try the train operator's own site.

National Express book from the same pool of tickets as Arriva - it sounds as though you stumbled across Arriva just as they were being loaded.

You'll find that full fare tickets go on sale (probably without reservations being available) 12 weeks ahead and that the cheap ones (and reserved full fare) follow at a variable time later.

But good advice anyway - there can always be glitches in the system

Bogof_Babe

Does anyone know all the details of the Arriva Over 55's go anywhere return for £15 deal? I've read the info page but am not clear on a couple of things...

I'm assuming you don't have to make the return trip on the same day, given they use a hotel advert as one of the suggestions, but would like to be certain.

Also do you get a seat reservation?

Finally can you go and buy the tickets in advance (I know they are not available online, but I mean at the station office), or are they only available on the day of travel?

Thanks to anyone who knows. Seems like a great deal - £15 return plus an extra £1 for Merseyrail, to get me all the way from Hereford to Southport and back. Almost too good to be true!